What We Do

Mission

The Alumni Association is a positive social support network established to assist incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals to successfully reintegrate into society.

Vision

The Vision of the Alumni Association is to have an equal and just society on behalf of people with criminal records.

Approach

The Alumni Association employs Peer Technology or (PT). The Alumni Association implements what could be best described as “Peer to Peer support through personal experiences.” Ultimately, the senior members of the Alumni Association utilize an integrative approach, using some elements from a strengths-based approach that is identified by Saleeby (2009), combined with Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1997) which states “behavior is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning.” Under this combined framework, senior alumni help to create partnerships built on trust and collaboration to bring about rapport and development of a therapeutic alliance with the participants. This is most effectively done through personal narratives, reflective listening, warmth and congruence. Throughout this process, the alliance takes on greater meaning as the participant becomes the observer and where the senior Alumni becomes the “modeler” in regards to positive behavior and socialization.

How We Do It

Men’s Evening Community Support Groups

Community Drop-In Centers

Located on the South and West side of Chicago The centers are open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons (please call or e -mail before coming) with services such as: